Table Of Content41
Alternative Spaces/Transformative Places addresses the rise of unruly spaces in
society, as well as communicative strategies that citizens and activists may use to
A
democratize them. With the widespread use of austerity measures by governments l
T
and cities, unruly spaces are an increasing fixture in our modern world. Cities such e
r
as Flint and Detroit in Michigan, Berlin in Germany, and even regions of rural Amer- n
ica, have all been damaged by the neoliberal policies that have left cityscapes and A
T
physical environments altered and unrecognizable. We now understand that unruli- i
v
ness has become a constant in contemporary globalized society. e
S
As such austerity has degraded infrastructure, depleted local economies, and
P
poisoned neighborhoods, we feel citizens must be empowered to reclaim such A
c
unruly spaces themselves. The book explores different strategies for the democra- e
S
tization of such spaces in urban environments, and the potential and problems of
/
each. Such strategies can create alternative perceptions and alter pathways through T
r
those spaces—even connect communities hidden from one another. A
Students and scholars of urban communication and community activism, as n
S
well as human geography, will find the concepts and strategies explored in this book f
o
useful. The discussions related to austerity measures provide context for many con-
r
temporary neighborhoods and communities that have come to be neglected, while m
A
the chapters concerning unruly spaces provide explanations for the difficulty with
T
i
such neglected or degraded environments. Finally, the illustration of different com- v
e
municative strategies for the democratization of unruly spaces will demonstrate the Alternative
P
possibilities for empowerment within communities that face such problems. l
A
c
e
S
Spaces /
Joshua D. Atkinson and Clayton Rosati are associate professors in the School of Media
& Communication at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Atkinson's research A
t
examines alternative media and social activism, while Rosati's endeavors examine k
i
the human geographies of urban development, media industries, and anti-poverty n
s
advocacy. o Transformative
n
a
n
d
r
o
s
a Places
t
i
p
e
t
e
r l Democratizing Unruliness in an Age of Austerity
a
n
g
www.peteRlAng.Com
JoShuA D. ATkinSon AnD clAyTon roSATi
9781433157561_cvr_eu.indd 1 23-Dec-19 13:32:28
41
Alternative Spaces/Transformative Places addresses the rise of unruly spaces in
society, as well as communicative strategies that citizens and activists may use to
A
democratize them. With the widespread use of austerity measures by governments l
T
and cities, unruly spaces are an increasing fixture in our modern world. Cities such e
r
as Flint and Detroit in Michigan, Berlin in Germany, and even regions of rural Amer- n
ica, have all been damaged by the neoliberal policies that have left cityscapes and A
T
physical environments altered and unrecognizable. We now understand that unruli- i
v
ness has become a constant in contemporary globalized society. e
S
As such austerity has degraded infrastructure, depleted local economies, and
P
poisoned neighborhoods, we feel citizens must be empowered to reclaim such A
c
unruly spaces themselves. The book explores different strategies for the democra- e
S
tization of such spaces in urban environments, and the potential and problems of
/
each. Such strategies can create alternative perceptions and alter pathways through T
r
those spaces—even connect communities hidden from one another. A
Students and scholars of urban communication and community activism, as n
S
well as human geography, will find the concepts and strategies explored in this book f
o
useful. The discussions related to austerity measures provide context for many con-
r
temporary neighborhoods and communities that have come to be neglected, while m
A
the chapters concerning unruly spaces provide explanations for the difficulty with
T
such neglected or degraded environments. Finally, the illustration of different com- iv
municative strategies for the democratization of unruly spaces will demonstrate the e Alternative
P
possibilities for empowerment within communities that face such problems.
l
A
c
e
S
Spaces /
Joshua D. Atkinson and Clayton Rosati are associate professors in the School of Media
& Communication at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Atkinson's research A
t
examines alternative media and social activism, while Rosati's endeavors examine k
i
the human geographies of urban development, media industries, and anti-poverty n
s
advocacy. o Transformative
n
a
n
d
r
o
s
a Places
t
i
p
e
t
e
r l Democratizing Unruliness in an Age of Austerity
a
n
g
www.peteRlAng.Com
JoShuA D. ATkinSon AnD clAyTon roSATi
9781433157561_cvr_eu.indd 1 23-Dec-19 13:32:28
41
Alternative Spaces/Transformative Places addresses the rise of unruly spaces in
society, as well as communicative strategies that citizens and activists may use to
A
democratize them. With the widespread use of austerity measures by governments l
T
and cities, unruly spaces are an increasing fixture in our modern world. Cities such e
r
as Flint and Detroit in Michigan, Berlin in Germany, and even regions of rural Amer- n
ica, have all been damaged by the neoliberal policies that have left cityscapes and A
T
physical environments altered and unrecognizable. We now understand that unruli- i
v
ness has become a constant in contemporary globalized society. e Alternative Spaces/
S
As such austerity has degraded infrastructure, depleted local economies, and
P
poisoned neighborhoods, we feel citizens must be empowered to reclaim such A Transformative Places
c
unruly spaces themselves. The book explores different strategies for the democra- e
S
tization of such spaces in urban environments, and the potential and problems of
/
each. Such strategies can create alternative perceptions and alter pathways through T
r
those spaces—even connect communities hidden from one another. A
Students and scholars of urban communication and community activism, as n
S
well as human geography, will find the concepts and strategies explored in this book f
o
useful. The discussions related to austerity measures provide context for many con-
r
temporary neighborhoods and communities that have come to be neglected, while m
A
the chapters concerning unruly spaces provide explanations for the difficulty with
T
i
such neglected or degraded environments. Finally, the illustration of different com- v
e
municative strategies for the democratization of unruly spaces will demonstrate the Alternative
P
possibilities for empowerment within communities that face such problems. l
A
c
e
S
Spaces /
Joshua D. Atkinson and Clayton Rosati are associate professors in the School of Media
& Communication at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Atkinson's research A
t
examines alternative media and social activism, while Rosati's endeavors examine k
i
the human geographies of urban development, media industries, and anti-poverty n
s
advocacy. o Transformative
n
a
n
d
r
o
s
a Places
t
i
p
e
t
e
r l Democratizing Unruliness in an Age of Austerity
a
n
g
www.peteRlAng.Com
JoShuA D. ATkinSon AnD clAyTon roSATi
9781433157561_cvr_eu.indd 1 23-Dec-19 13:32:28
Mitchell S. McKinney and Mary E. Stuckey
General Editors
Vol. 41
The Frontiers in Political Communication series
is part of the Peter Lang Media and Communication list.
Every volume is peer reviewed and meets
the highest quality standards for content and production.
PETER LANG
New York Bern Berlin
Brussels Vienna Oxford Warsaw
Joshua D. Atkinson and Clayton Rosati
Alternative Spaces/
Transformative Places
Democratizing Unruliness
in an Age of Austerity
PETER LANG
New York Bern Berlin
Brussels Vienna Oxford Warsaw
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Atkinson, Joshua D., author. | Rosati, Clayton, author.
Title: Alternative spaces/transformative places: democratizing unruliness
in an age of austerity / Joshua D. Atkinson and Clayton Rosati.
Description: New York: Peter Lang, 2020.
Series: Frontiers in political communication; vol. 41 | ISSN 1525-9730
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019020972 | ISBN 978-1-4331-5756-1 (hardback: alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-4331-5757-8 (ebook pdf)
ISBN 978-1-4331-5758-5 (epub) | ISBN 978-1-4331-5759-2 (mobi)
Subjects: LCSH: Cities and towns—Political aspects. | Cities and
towns—Social aspects. | City planning—Citizen participation. |
Communication—Political aspects.
Classification: LCC HT151 .A775 | DDC 307.76—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019020972
DOI 10.3726/b14149
Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the “Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie”; detailed bibliographic data are available
on the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de/.
© 2020 Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York
29 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10006
www.peterlang.com
All rights reserved.
Reprint or reproduction, even partially, in all forms such as microfilm,
xerography, microfiche, microcard, and offset strictly prohibited.
contents
List of Figures vii
Foreword: Crisis, Austerity, & the Pleasures of Cruelty ix
Part I: Introduction
Chapter 1: Unruly Spaces, Cityscape & Communicative Cities 3
Chapter 2: The Enclave at Wildcat Hollow 31
Part II: Global Forces—Austerity & Unruly Spaces
Chapter 3: The Hidden Geographies of Flint 61
Chapter 4: BART, Cairo & Spaces of Exception 89
Part III: Rediscovering Lost Spaces in Germany
Chapter 5: Memory Revival in Mannheim 119
Chapter 6: Memory Modification at the DDR Museum 143
vi contents
Part IV: Exploring a Hidden Geography in Detroit
Chapter 7: Diffused Intertextual Production 169
Chapter 8: Standpoint Performance Within the Intertext 193
Chapter 9: Creative Narrative Appropriation 217
Concluding Remarks 241
Index 249
figures
Figure 2.1. A new home in Wildcat Hollow 34
Figure 2.2. A gate at one of the new estate homes in Wildcat Hollow 38
Figure 5.1. Building at E4 Mannheim, present day 125
Figure 5.2. Stadtpunkt outside of the Rosengarten at Friedrichsplatz 128
Figure 6.1. A typical exhibit set into a partition at the DDR Museum 153
Figure 6.2. Stasi interrogation room exhibit 161
